Metal desk structure



R. J. RENAUD 3,104,138

Sept. 17, 1963 METAL DESK STRUCTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 19,1961 IIVVENTOR ROBERT J. RE/VA U0 Afforne Sept. 17, 1963 R. J. RENAUDMETAL DESK STRUCTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 19, 1961 //V I/E/V70/? ROBERT J. RE/VAUD By M 56 M A flarney United States Patent3,104,138 METAL DESK STRUCTURE Robert .I. Renaud, haler Township,Allegheny (loamy,

Pa, assignor to United States Steel Corporation, a corporation of NewJersey Filed Sept. 19, 1961, Ser. No. 139,292 3 (Ilaims. 81. 312-195)This invention relates to improved metal desk structures.

An object of the invention is to provide sturdy desk structure-s whichare of pleasing appearance and yet flexible in their size and shape.

A further object is to provide improved desk structures which include ametal frame of variable dimension and interchangeable pedestal boxesremovably suspended from said frame.

A further object is toprovide improved desk structures which embodysteel frames and pedestal boxes suspended cantilever fashion from theframes, thus taking advantage of the strength of the frame to carry theweight of the pedestal boxes and minimizing the number of parts neededin the frame.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, I haveprovided improved details of structure, preferred forms of which areshown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of one form of frame used in my deskstructures;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the frame shown in FIGURE 1 withpedestal boxes attached;

FIGURE 3 is a View similar to FIGURE 1 but showing a modified form offrame; and

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the frame shown in FIGURE 3 withpedestal boxes attached.

FIGURE 1 shows one form of my desk frame, which comprises a pair ofopposed subassenrblies ill and Illa of C-shape in end elevation andfront and back spanners 12 and 13 connecting these subassemblies. Eachsubassembly includes an upright 14 preferably formed of a metal stripbent to V-shape in cross section, a leg member 15 preferably formed oftwo converging metal strips Welded at their back ends to the respectivearms of the V, and an upper horizontal member 16 preferably for-med ofmetal tubing of rectangular cross section Welded at its back end betweenthe arms of the V. Le-g members 15 carry glides 17 which rest on a flooror other supporting surface. The upper horizontal members 16 carryspaced apart front and back brackets 18 and 19 preferably weldedthereto. The front spanner 12 is removably bolted to the two frontbrackets 18 and extends across the front ends of the horizontal members16 with some overhang at each side. The back spanner I3 is removablybolted to the two back brackets 19 and extends between the horizontalmembers 13 spaced inwardly from their back ends. Preferably bothspanners are formed of rectangular metal tubing similar to thehorizontal members 16. I can replace the spanners' with spanners ofdifferent lengths, and thus use the same subassem blies It and a fordesks of different lengths.

The front spanner 12 carries out hangers 20 adjacent its ends and innerhangers 21 spaced inwardly of the respective horizontal members 16. Thelatter members carry outer hangers 22 opposite their connection to theback spanner 13, while the back spanner carries inner hangers 23. AsFIGURE 2 shows, I suspend pedestal boxes 24 and 24a from the hangers 20,2.1, 22 and 23. I removably bolt each pedestal box to a respective setof four hangers so that I am able to use the same frame for suspending avariety of choices of pedestal boxes. The frame also removably supportsa top 25 which overlies the frame and pedestal boxes in the usual way,and the back can carry a screen, not shown.

Patented Sept. 17, 1963 FIGURE 3 shows a modified form of my desk frame,which comprises a pair of opposed subassemblies 3t and 38 a and frontand back spanners 32 and 33 connecting these subassemblies. Eachsubassembly includes an upright 34 preferably formed of a metal stripbent to V- shape in cross section, a dual leg member 35, 35a, each halfof which preferably is formed of two converging metal strips welded tothe respective arms of the V and to each other, an upper horizontalmember 36 welded at its mid portion to the upright and preferably formedof a. metal strip bent to V-shape in cross section. Leg members 35, 35acarry gliders 37 which rest on a floor or other supporting surface. Theupper horizontal members 36 carry spaced apart front and back brackets33 and 39, preferably of channel shape and welded to the ends thereof.The front spanner 32 is removably bolted to the two front brackets 38and extends across the front ends of the horizontal members 36 with someoverhang at each side. The back spanner 33 is attached in similarfashion to the back brackets 39. Preferably both spanners are formed ofmetal tubing of rectangular cross section. As in the embodiment alreadydescribed, I can use spanners of different lengths with the samesubassemblies.

The front spanner 32 carries outer hangers 4ft adjacent its ends andinner hangers 41 immediately outwardly of the front brackets 38. Theback spanner 33 carries outer and inner hangers d2 and 43 similarlyarranged. As FIGURE 4 shows, I removably suspend pedestal boxes 44 and44a from these hangers and place a top 45 on the frame, the same as inthe embodiment already described.

From the foregoing description it is seen that my invention affords deskstructures of simple construction and highly flexible in that the sameframe subassemblies can be used with a variety of pedestal box designsand desk sizes. The frame supports the pedestal boxes cantileverfashion, thus taking advantage of the strength of the metal to affordmaximum clear space under the desk.

While I have shown and described certain preferred embodiments of myinvention, it is apparent that other modifications may arise. Therefore,I do not wish to be limited to the disclosure set forth but only by thescope of the appended claims:

I claim:

1. A desk comprising a pair of metal subassemblies, each of whichincludes a respective upright, a leg member fixed to the lower end ofsaid upright and extending at approximately a right angle therefrom anda horizontal member med to the upper end of said upright and havingfront and back ends, said desk also comp-rising front and back spannersremovably attached to the respective ends of the horizontal member ofeach subassembly and. connecting the subassemblies, said subassembliesand said spanners forming a rigid self-sustaining frame, hangers fixedto the upper portion of said frame at both the back and front thereof,spaced-apart pedestal boxes removably suspended from said hangers. andsolely supported cantilever fashion from said frame, said pedestal boxesbeing free of said uprights and spaced above said leg members to affordmaximum clear space under the desk, and a top overlying said frame andsaid pedestal boxes.

2. A desk comprising a pair of metal su-bassemblies, each of which isC-shaped when viewed in end elevation and includes a respective upright,a leg member fixed to the lower end of said upright and extending atapproximately a right angle therefrom, and a horizontal member havingfront and back ends and fixed at its back end to the upper end of saidupright, said desk also comprising front and back spanner-s removablyattached to the respec tive ends of the horizontal member of eachsubassembly and connecting the subassembl-ies, said subassemblies andsaid spanners forming a rigid self-sustaining frame, hangers fixed tothe upper portion of said frame at both the back and front thereof,spaced-apart pedestal boxes removably suspended from said hangers andsolely sup ported cantilever fashion from said frame, said pedestalboxes being free of said uprights and spaced above said leg members toafford maximum clear space under the desk, and a top overlying saidframe and said pedestal boxes.

3. A desk comprising a pair of metal subassembl-ies, each of whichincludes an upright, a dual leg member fixed to the lower end of saidupright and extending at approximately a right angle therefrom, and ahorizontal member fixed at its mid-portion to the upper end of saidupright and having front and back ends, said desk also 15 comprisingfront and back spanners removably attached to the respective ends of thehorizontal member of each subassembly and connecting the subassemblies,said subassemblies and said spanners forming a rigid self-sustainingframe, hangers fixed to said front and back spanners adjacent each endof each spanner, spaced-apart pedestal boxes removably suspended fromsaid hangers and solely supported cantilever fashion from said frame,said pedestal boxes being free of said uprights and spaced above saidleg members to afford maximum clear space under the desk, and a topoverlying said frame and said pedestal boxes.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS501,638 Anderson July 18, 1893 1,649,805 Brainard Nov. 22, 19273,042,936 Patterson July 10, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS 579,684 Great BritainAug. 13, 1946 273,667 Switzerland May 16, 1951 313,078 Switzerland Apr.30, 1956

1. A DESK COMPRISING A PAIR OF METAL SUBASSEMBLIES, EACH OF WHICHINCLUDES A RESPECTIVE UPRIGHT, A LEG MEMBER FIXED TO THE LOWER END OFSAID UPRIGHT AND EXTENDING AT APPROXIMATELY A RIGHT ANGLE THEREFROM ANDA HORIZONTAL MEMBER FIXED TO THE UPPER END OF SAID UPRIGHT AND HAVINGFRONT AND BACK ENDS, SAID DESK ALSO COMPRISING FRONT AND BACK SPANNERSREMOVABLY ATTACHED TO THE RESPECTIVE ENDS OF THE HORIZONTAL MEMBER OFEACH SUBASSEMBLY AND CONNECTING THE SUBASSEMBLIES, SAID SUBASSEMBLIESAND SAID SPANNERS FORMING A RIGID SELF-SUSTAINING FRAME, HANGERS FIXEDTO THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID FRAME AT BOTH THE BACK AND FRONT THEREOF,SPACED-APART PEDESTAL BOXES REMOVABLY SUSPENDED FROM SAID HANGERS ANDSOLELY SUPPORTED CANTILEVER FASHION FROM SAID FRAME, SAID PEDESTAL BOXESBEING FREE OF SAID UPRIGHTS AND SPACED ABOVE SAID LEG MEMBERS TO AFFORDMAXIMUM CLEAR SPACE UNDER THE DESK, AND A TOP OVERLYING SAID FRAME ANDSAID PEDESTAL BOXES.